I haven't posted in awhile since my computer has been out of commission. I have been think a lot lately about my creative influences or entertainment that has had a profound impact on my life. So, I came up with this meme

Name:

1. An album that had a profound effect on you2. A movie that means something to you3. A book that changed your life

#1) Whitney Houston's self-titled debut album. It just means so much to me on so many levels, but above all its what helped me meet my bestfriend. We are still close today cause I was sitting on my front step with my brothers boombox (Yes that ages me) listening to my brand new tape of the album and belting away (albeit badly) to Greatest Love of All. She came up started singing along and a life long friendship was formed with a pair of erstwhile six year olds.

#2) This one is harder since there are a lot of movies that mean something to me, but the one I feel like that's truly stuck with me over the years is "Leaves of Grass" You are probably wondering why a depressing love story from the sixties means something to me. I think it was due to who shared it with me. My father took me to an old theatre in my hometown when I was 14 to see this movie. At the end, we talked about our favorite parts. I think I was struck by Natalie Woods performance the most. She was such a tragic figure and I thought the love story while sweet was like a side plot. I was totally obsessed with how it had ended on such a bittersweet note.

#3) The Native Son. It embodies that sort of dark underbelly of racism. How black people are not allowed dignity and there is this part of us that wants to seek revenge for crimes of others. But, if anything it was an interesting analysis of the racial structures that still impact our society today.